Vilsack Understands!
See, I told you to be optimistic about Vilsack.
The scientists, the foodies, and the economists have all been chanting, “Death to corn subsidies! Â Death to corn subsidies!” forever. Â And, now someone who has explicit authority to take subsidies to the guillotine has said, more or less explicitly, he is looking to axe them:
Vilsack called on farmers to accept the political reality that U.S. farm program direct payments are under fire both at home and abroad and therefore farmers should develop other sources of income. In his remarks to the groups he said he intends to promote a far more diversified income base for the farm sector, saying that windmills and biofuels should definitely be part of the income mix and that organic agriculture will also play an increasing role.
Vilsack understands that the solutions to the myriad issues our nation faces begin on the farm:
The Secretary stressed that USDA is involved in every major issue today, from economic recovery and energy security, to food safety and foreclosures. He said he will work hard to ensure that USDA has a seat at the table in setting policies in all of these areas and ensure that both Washington policy makers and the general public are made aware of the farm sector’s important role in all of these areas.
He understands that nutrition is paramount to our health, both individually and as a nation. Â In fact, his first official act as the Secretary of the USDA was the reinstatement of $3.2 million in grant funding for fruit and vegetable farmers that had been rescinded during Bush’s rash of midnight regulations. Â Vilsack said it sent a message of his emphasis on nutritious food (link). Â The message is loud and clear: down with high-fructose corn syrup and up with real fruits and vegetables. Â Heck, he’s even seen to it that a garden is planted on the grounds of the USDA building.
"It is essential for the federal government to lead the way in enhancing and conserving our land and water resources," said Vilsack. "President Obama has expressed his commitment to responsible stewardship of our land, water and other natural resources, and one way of restoring the land to its natural condition is what we are doing here today - "breaking pavement" for The People's Garden."
This is going to be good.
February 17, 2009
Tags: agriculture, farmers, green, heroes, nutrition, policy, subsidies, USDA Posted in: Politics
5 Responses
Coming from Iowa, this will be interesting to see if anything comes to fruition. Although, I must agree, times are changing and if you don’t like it, it’s time to find another way to generate income.
If corn subsidies are cut or severely reduced, I foresee a tumultuous time for Iowans. But, I think the financial problems would resolve themselves within a couple growing seasons.
You see, thanks to these subsidies American farmers export their products at substantially (unreasonably) low prices. This depresses the global price of corn because everyone is competing to have the lowest prices. This, in turn, severely damages the income of farmers who must sell their crops without government financial support.
Once Iowa farmers and other monoculture growers lose their subsidies and diversify to survive, the global market will re-align itself. The wheat and corn that US farmers do grow will earn them adequate income because prices will rise: The US exports won’t be so cheap and the market will have less of a surfeit of supply. (When the gov’t said it would subsidize just a few crops, not surprisingly, the farmers all began to grow those exact crops.)
So, farmers from Iowa will eventually be okay, and the rest of the world’s farmers will be a lot better off once America stops subsidizing its major crops.
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Thanks for this report! I really wanted to be optimistic about Vilsack’s appointment and this gives me reason to continue to be hopeful. I really love the part about community gardens on USDA properties.
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